Fox Point Resident Grows Fermented Veggie Business From Farmers Markets To Midwest Grocers

FOX POINT - In just three short years, Fox Point native Jeff Ziebelman has taken his fermented vegetable business Zymbiotics from a booth at the Fox Point Farmers Market to more than 60 stores and two restaurants statewide.

Ziebelman began his fermentation experiment just three years ago with beer and sourdough bread but was inspired by former girlfriend who told him about the health benefits and popularity of fermenting vegetables.

According to North Shore Now, he says the fermentation craze might be labeled a trend now, but the practice dates back thousands of years.

Currently Zymbiotics offers sauerkraut, kimchi, vegan kimchi, and ginger carrots, which are made from all-natural ingredients with no preservatives or additives, and are never pasteurized to retain taste. The products are allowed to ferment to their highest nutritional, prebiotic and probiotic value, flavor and texture. He hopes to introduce fermented beets and a rotating seasonal product in the near future.

The results show in the many messages he receives from customers over the phone, social media, and in-person, telling Ziebelman how his products have helped their digestive and acid reflux issues.

The popularity of the product allowed Ziebelman to quit his day job about a year ago and devote himself full-time to Zymbiotics, which employs six people in a facility on 6th St. in Milwaukee's Garden District.

The products can be found at Whole Foods throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest, Sendik's, Outpost, and soon will be carried in all Festival Foods stores in Wisconsin. Zymbiotics also appears weekly at the Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market at the Domes. Forage Kitchen in Madison and the Riverwest Coop Cafe in Milwaukee offer items made with Zymbiotic products on their menus. For a complete list of retailers, visit the company's website. Currently products are not listed for sale through the website.

Image via Shutterstock